ice that they 're
allus admirin' his work an' praisin' up his sharpness, an' they 'd be
monstrous disappointed ef he did n't git as many souls as they expect."

"Well, after all the years that I 've been a-workin' in the church an'
a-tryin' to let my light so shine before the world, I did n't think that
you 'd be the one to throw out hints about my Christianity. But we all
have our burdens to bear, an' I 'm a-goin' to bear mine the best I kin,
an' do my dooty, whatever comes of it." And Miss Hester gave another
sigh of injured rectitude.

"I see, Miss Hester, that you 're jest bent an' bound not to see what I
mean, so I might as well go home."

"I think my mind ain't givin' way yit, an' I believe that I do
understand plain words; but I ain't a-bearin' you no grudge. You 've
spoke yore mind, an' it 's all right."

"But I hope there ain't no hard feelin's, after all these years."

"Oh, 'Liphalet, it ain't a part of even my pore weak religion to bear
hard feelin's towards no one, no matter how they treat me. I 'm jest
tryin' to bear my cross an' suffer fur the Lord's sake."

"But I hope I ain't a-givin' you no cross to bear. I 'ain't never
doubted yore goodness or yore Christianity: I only thought that mebbe
yore methods, yore methods--"

Miss Prime's lips were drawn into a line. She divided that line to say,
"I know what the Scriptures say: 'If thy right hand offend thee'--"

"Hester, Hester!" he cried, stretching out his hands to her.

"Good-night, Brother Hodges. I must go in." She turned and left him
standing at the gate with a hurt look in his face.

On going into the house, Miss Hester did not immediately 'tend to Fred,
as she had promised. Instead, she left him and went into her own room
where she remained awhile. When she came out, her lips were no less set,
but her eyes were red. It is hardly to be supposed that she had been
indulging in that solace of woman's woes, a good cry.

"Take off yore jacket, Freddie," she said, calmly, taking down a switch
from over the clothes-press. "I 'm a-goin' to whip you; but, remember, I
ain't a-punishin' you because I 'm mad. It 's fur the purpose of
instruction. It 's fur yore own good."

Fred received his dressing-down without a whimper. He was too angry to
cry. This Miss Prime took as a mark of especial depravity. In fact, the
boy had been unable to discover any difference between an instructive
and a vindictive whipping. It was perfectly clear in his guardian's